Constitution of the American Statistical Association

The name of this organization is the American Statistical Association.

The objectives of the American Statistical Association are to promote the practice and profession of statistics, envisioning a world that relies on data and statistical thinking to drive discovery and inform decisions.. The ASA is a non-profit organization and achieves these objectives by supporting excellence in the development, application, and dissemination of statistical science through meetings, publications, membership services, education, accreditation, and advocacy. The ASA advances research and promotes sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. Statistics is a continually evolving field, and the ASA strives to be the professional home for all those who learn from data – The Big Tent for Statistics and Data Science.

The ASA establishes professional standards of ethics and conduct so that these objectives are pursued without prejudice toward any person or group.

The Association may have one or more categories of members, as defined in Article I of the ASA Bylaws.

Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution and the ASA Bylaws, only individual members, as defined by Article I of the Bylaws, have the right to vote, to sign referendum petitions, to hold office, and to sign nominating petitions.

Members within a specific geographic area may form a chapter to develop and explore ways of pursuing the objectives of the Association. Responsibility for chartering and overseeing chapters rests with the Council of Chapters.

The Council of Chapters functions under a charter approved by the Board of Directors to serve the needs of the chapters. As part of this function, it channels information between the Association and the chapters and promotes cooperation among the chapters. It also provides oversight for chapter activities, including formation and dissolution of chapters, and ensures that chapter activities, including fiscal management, are consistent with the goals of the Association.

The council consists of chapter representatives and ex officio members as described in the charter of the Council of Chapters and elsewhere in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Members may form a section in order to further the objectives of the Association in a field of statistical methods, theory, or applications. The scope of a section must be sufficiently broad to represent active professional interests of a substantial segment of the Association. Responsibility for chartering and overseeing sections rests with the Council of Sections.

The Council of Sections functions under a charter approved by the Board of Directors to serve the needs of the sections. As part of this function, it channels information between the Association and the sections and promotes cooperation among the sections. It also provides oversight for section activities, including formation and dissolution of sections, and ensures that section activities, including fiscal management, are consistent with the goals of the Association. The Council consists of section representatives and ex officio members as described in the charter of the Council of Sections and elsewhere in the Constitution and Bylaws.

In the previous paragraph, the term “sections” is understood to cover any and all entities that operate under the charter of the Council of Sections.

The Board of Directors is the policy-making and legislative body of the Association. It consists of sixteen members: President, President-Elect, Past President, three Vice Presidents, three representatives from the Council of Chapters, three representatives from the Council of Sections, International Representative, Secretary, Treasurer, and Publication Representative.

The President, President-Elect, Past President, Vice Presidents, representatives of the Council of Chapters, representatives of the Council of Sections, International Representative, Publication Representative, and the Treasurer are the voting Board members. The Secretary is an ex officio member without vote. All voting members of the Board of Directors must be individual members of the Association for the five years preceding the start of their term of office.

No employee of the Association, with the exception of the Secretary, may serve as a member of the Board of Directors

The Executive Committee consists of the President, President-Elect, Past President, senior Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Secretary and Treasurer are ex officio members without vote.

The officers of the Association are the President, President-Elect, Past President, three Vice Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer.

All individual members are eligible to vote for every elected position on the Board of Directors.

Nominees for the positions of President-Elect, Vice President, and Treasurer are selected by the Committee on Nominations as described in Article V, Section 1 of the Bylaws.

The Council of Chapters nominates candidates for its representatives on the Board of Directors. Each of the three geographic regions, as established by the charter of the Council of Chapters, will have one representative on the Board of Directors.

The Council of Sections nominates candidates for its representatives on the Board of Directors.

The Board-appointed editors nominate candidates for the Publication Representative on the Board of Directors.

Candidates for International Representative are nominated as specified in Article V, Section 1 of the By- Laws.

The Secretary is selected according to Article V, Section 2 of the Bylaws.

The President is elected to the position of President-Elect and normally serves a three-year term. The first year will be as President-Elect, the second year as President, and the third year as Past President. Once an individual has served as ASA President, that person cannot again be nominated for nor serve as ASA President-Elect.

The Vice Presidents are elected for three-year terms, one Vice President being elected each year. No Vice President is eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

The representatives of the Council of Chapters serve a three-year term, one representative being elected each year.

The representatives of the Council of Sections serve a three-year term, one representative being elected each year.

No Chapter or Section Representative completing a full term is eligible for immediate re- election to the same office.

The International Representative is elected for a three-year term and is not eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

The Treasurer is elected for a three-year term and is not eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

The Board of Directors sets the term of office for the Secretary, who also serves as the ASA’s Executive Director, as provided for in Articles V and VII of the Bylaws. The Secretary is appointed to an original term of no more than five years, and upon action of the Board of Directors may be reappointed at any time during the Secretary’s term for a period of up to five years from the date the reappointment takes effect. There is no limit on the length of time the Secretary may serve.

The Publication Representative serves a three-year term and is not eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

The Board of Directors may provide shorter terms during periods of organizational transition.

Terms of office end, and new terms begin, on January 1, but each office holder serves until a successor takes office.

No elected individual may serve simultaneously in two capacities on the Board of Directors.

The committees of the Association consist of the Executive Committee and other committees of the Board of Directors, which are named in the Bylaws; standing committees, which are named in the Bylaws; and such continuing and ad hoc committees as the President or the Board of Directors may establish.

Publication of journals must be authorized by the Board of Directors. Other periodicals, reports, proceedings, or publications are authorized in the Bylaws, by vote of the Board of Directors, or by the Council of Chapters or the Council of Sections.

The Association must hold an annual meeting of the membership in a manner designated by the Board of Directors based upon recommendation from the Committee on Meetings, unless extraordinary circumstances dictate otherwise. The decision not to hold an annual meeting would be made by the Board of Directors and announced to membership along with an explanation of the rationale for the decision

Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by a petition signed by at least 100 individual members.

An amendment originating by petition is referred to the Board of Directors, which must vote on its recommendation regarding ratification. The Board of Directors may also decide upon the final wording of the proposed revision, as long as such wording is consistent with the original intent of the petition. Periodic revisions, as provided for in Article IX, Section 5h of the Bylaws, are referred to the Board of Directors, which may recommend ratification as a whole or in parts.

As soon as feasible following action by the Board of Directors, the Secretary must publish a copy of the proposed amendment in a news bulletin. In this Constitution and the ASA Bylaws, a “news bulletin” is understood to mean a method of notification that is readily accessible and widely distributed to the membership. The published copy must include revisions by and recommendations of the Board of Directors and invite comment. Comments received must be summarized or published in full in subsequent issues of a news bulletin. At least 30 days must elapse between the publication date of these comments and the vote on an amendment or revision. Regardless of the recommendation of the Board of Directors, an amendment proposed by petition must be submitted for vote. However, the Executive Committee may delay the vote to coincide with the next annual election. Ratification requires an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the membership. If a portion of the membership chooses not to cast ballots, that portion of the membership is counted as voting in the same proportion as that portion of the membership casting ballots.